Reading machine



READING MACHINE F'iled Oct. 12, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N VENTOR.

254 by 5&4 BY J ATTORNEY.

May 11, 1937.

B. A. FISKE 2,080,172

READING MACHINE Filed Oct. 12, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 11, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE READING MACHINE Bradley A. Fiske, New York, N. Y. Application October 12, 1935, Serial No. 44,699

2 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in reading machines for reading, by means of a single lens, printed matter carried in vertical parallel columns on a long paper strip,

the characters being of greatly reduced size in order that a great many words may be presented in compact form.

The objects of my invention are first, to provide for the effective mounting of the strip by which it may be at all times presented in a plane perpendicular to the focal axis of the lens to offer a flat surface of substantial area whereby a considerable number of lines may be read between feed movements of the strip; second, to

provide simple and effective mechanism by which the lens by a simple pivotal movement may be brought into alignment with any one of the vertical columns of reading matter and third, to provide simple and effective mechanism by which the lens may be focussed or refocussed, if required, during the reading operation. These and other objects will more fully appear when the details of my invention are explained.

Attention is directed to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and in which Figure 1 is a front view of the main frame of the machine showing the strip in place but with the lens and its immediate supporting elements removed.

Figure 2 is a side elevation with the elements for pivotally mounting the lens shown in section.

Figure 3 is a detail on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 particularly for the purpose of illustrating the coiled spring for keeping the lens carrying arm 35 in contact with the focussing cam.

Figure 4 is a detail View showing the focussing cam, its carrying shaft and the knurled finger wheel for adjusting the same, and

Figure 5 is a front view of the reading ma- 40 chine complete illustrating the extreme positions of the lens in full and dotted lines.

In all of the above views corresponding parts are represented by the same reference numerals.

The body I of the machine is formed with an 5 enlarged head 2, upon the surface of which travels the strip 3 which is guided at the upper end of the head 2 by guides 4 and passes through an opening in the head'2 by striking out a tongue 5 therefrom, as shown in Figure 2. Preferably 50 the head 2 is curved at 6 in order to facilitate the feed of the strip which may be effected by drawing down upon the upper end of the strip as required, so as to cause the strip to progress by successive upward movements after portions 55 thereof have been read.

Obviously, the direction of travel of the strip is unimportant and may be reversed.

The mechanical elements so far referred to and others to be hereafter described are, unless the contrary is stated, made preferably of some very light metal or alloy such as duralium or aluminum. The former is preferable on account of lightness and strength. 7

At its lower end the section I is provided with a handle 8 which may be made of wood or other suitable material and by which the machine may be held in the right hand of the reader While the left hand is free to effect the feeding movement of the strip.

A thin pressure plate 9 bears upon the strip to hold it lightly against the face of the enlarged portion 2. This pressure plate is made somewhat flexible and its upper straight edge may conveniently define the lower limit of the exposed area of printed matter within the field of the lens.

This lens Ill may be of any suitable power and. is carried by a brass or other suitable metal ring II in a frame providing extensions 12-42 which act as shields, for the non-active eye of the reader. These shields permit the reader to keep both eyes open although obviously only one will be employed in reading through the lens ll]. For convenience, therefore, the shields are colored black to minimize the light entering the non-reading eye.

The lens support also carries a curved head rest 13 as shown particularly in Figure 2 against which the reader maintains its forehead gently during the reading. Such a support assures a substantially constant relation between the eye and the lens and therefore makes the operation and use of the machine easier.

The lens support is carried at the upper end of a long arm l4, pivoted at its lower end upon a stationary shaft [5 by means of a sleeve E6. The shaft I5 is carried by outwardly extending legs I! of a light metal frame which is pivoted to the section l by a pivot [8. Lock nuts 19 are screwed upon the shank of this pivot and a flexible or split washer 20 is interposed between said lock nuts and the section I so as to produce sufficient friction as to maintain the lens in any desired position of lateral adjustment with respect to the columns of printing.

As shown in Figure 3 a, light coiled spring 2! surrounds the sleeve [6, being anchored at one end to the adjacent support I! and this spring tends to maintain the arm M in contact with a focussing cam 22 carried on the steel shaft 23 mounted in the pivoted frame. The shaft 23 is provided at one end with a knurled adjusting wheel 24 by which the shaft may be turned so as to adjust the lens toward or away from the reading matter in focussing. The cam 25 works within an opening 25 in the section I of the machine so as thereby to limit the side movement of the lens in its adjustment with respect to the columns of printed matter. These extreme movements are shown in full and dotted lines in Figure 5.

In operation, the strip 3 of reading matter is first inserted through the opening in the head 2 formed as explained by displacing the metal at 5, is then shoved or forced under the pressure plate 9 and finally introduced between the guides 4-4. The lens is now moved pivotally on pivot I8 so as to be in line with the column of printed matter that is to be read. Thereupon, the head rest is placed lightly against the forehead, with the eye looking through the lens l upon the printed matter. Finally the h'andwh-eel 24 is turned so as to adjust the lens with respect to the reading matter to bring the same in proper focus. Any desired number of lines will then be read, depending upon the area of the field of the lens and upon the extent to which the printed characters have been reduced in size and after reading, the upper end of the strip is pulled down to the desired extent to bring fresh printed matter into View. The whole machine is simple, cornpact, light and very effective.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a reading machine, the combination of a supporting standard having an opening therein, an arm pivoted to said standard near its lower end, a lens carried by said arm and a cam located in said opening and cooperating with said arm to move the same toward and away from the standard in focussing, said cam also acting as a stop by engaging the sides of said opening to limit the movements of said arm in a direction parallel with respect to the face of said standard.

2. In a reading machine the combination with a supporting standard, a handle at the lower end of said standard and means at the upper portion thereof for sustaining fiatwise a strip of printed matter in parallel columns, of a frame pivoted to said standard so as to move pivotally thereon in a plane parallel with respect to the face of said strip, an arm pivotally mounted in said frame, and movable in a plane perpendicular to said strip, a lens carried by said arm, a spring tending to move the arm normally towards the strip and a cam carried by and movable with said frame for adjusting the arm away from said strip whereby focussing is eifected.

BRADLEY A. FISKE. 

